Susan Stafford

Sue Stafford brings 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry to her position in the classroom as chair of the Hotel and Restaurant Management and Culinary Arts Degree Programs at Tompkins Cortland Community College, a SUNY community college. She has been instrumental in the development of Tompkins Cortland's Farm to Bistro concept, which features an organic farm on campus that provides fresh produce to the College's downtown Ithaca restaurant and culinary center, Coltivare.

She has served as hotel inspector for Condé Nast Publications; specifically, Johansen's Guide to Luxury Hotels, including inspection of independent luxury properties in New York, Pennsylvania, and Ontario, Canada. Stafford also was an owner, partner, and vice president of Hospitality International Executive Search, recruiting and reorganizing operational staff for a list of clients that included most major hotel, restaurant, and food service companies nationally and some operations internationally.

Prior to those positions, Stafford had a range of experience, which included progressive management position with Interstate Hotels (Marriott), Holiday Inns, and Hilton. She also has conference services experience with Travel Trade Publications and Bonnie Walsh Associates.

As a full-time faculty member and department chair at Tompkins Cortland Community College, Stafford is responsible for teaching duties, as well as curriculum development, regional and global education partnerships, enrollment, continuing education, and industry outreach. To that end, she has developed collaborative training programs with Tompkins County Tourism & NYS Hospitality & Tourism Association. She has served and participated in the SUNY Hospitality Consortium; NYS Wine & Culinary Two Year College Consortium, helped to develop a collaboration with Niagara University and others to create transfer opportunities for Tompkins Cortland students; welcomed eight Fulbright Scholarship Students from five developing countries to study within Tompkins Cortland's Hotel and Restaurant degree program; and taught in the Global Disney College Program. She travels annually with students to Italy for their Culture & Cuisine class.

Stafford has travelled to Turkey, Peru, Italy, France, and Croatia to solidify relationships with university partners worldwide focusing on international hospitality, wine, and culinary training with the goal of broadening opportunities for Tompkins Cortland students and our area businesses in the global marketplace.

Stafford earned her Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Administration from Niagara University, and her Master of Science in Adult Education and Human Resources Training from Elmira College. She also earned an Associate of Applied Science in Hotel Technology from SUNY at Canton. She lives in Homer, N.Y., with her husband of 25 years, Doug. They enjoy their time on the St. Lawrence River and they have three children and a golden retriever, Molly.